


There's a First Time For Everything

by arajuna



Category: CinnamonToastKen - Fandom, Video Blogging & YouTube RPF
Genre: #pimpin with dat dick in me, Don't Judge Me, First time for everything, I can understand how awkward fanfiction can be if it's about you, I don't ship Ken with any other youtuber, I made one, I mean good m/m CTK fics, I normally don't write real people fics, I really hope Ken doesn't find this and get upset, If he does I will remove it if asked, Ken is a huge bottom, Ken probs tweeted that after the event?, M/M, NO CRY DOES NOT SLEEP WITH KEN OR PEWDS, SO, maybe minx should be like "I knew you were a homo Ken" later on, shipping real people is always hard so I try to stay away from it, there is a lack of CTK fics, well not a youtuber, well only now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-17
Updated: 2014-02-09
Packaged: 2017-12-26 21:04:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/970274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arajuna/pseuds/arajuna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The basic story is Chris attends Pewdies party for being most subed on youtube. He was meant to be going with a friend but they bailed. There he meets the charming Ken and the hit it off. Read Beginning notes please</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Well this is a pretty shitty fic I wrote really late at night and haven't edited so there are probably errors in tensing. I don't normally write first person, and even less so present first person. But there are no CTK fics at all really, especially slash, because I normally don't ship real people together I just made up one to use with ken. They fuck in his hotel room, let's be real thats what most people will be reading this for Last 2 paragraphs if you are lazy. I might continue if I feel like it.
> 
> I understand Fics about real people can sometimes be not good for the person they are about. I am a fan of Ken and I don't want to disturb or upset him, so if he somehow finds this fic I am more than happy to take it down if he is weirded out or anything by it. 
> 
> I decided to add more. I am pretty unsatisfied with chapter one, but I am keeping it the same for now. I might remove the sex scene later because I feel it's not that well brought in or written.

It’s a fairly cold night for a party, but I suppose that one does not plan for these sorts of things. In any case, I am not dressed for it. A single button up dress shirt and jeans are not cold night gear, but I hope it’s warmer inside the venue. The party was for none other than pewdiepie and his celebration for being most subscribed on YouTube. Of course only youtubers were invited, this meaning that I knew absolutely no one. I somehow got coaxed into going by my friend Michele who is a youtuber, and just my luck she cancelled right at the last minute. Seriously last minute, I had just pulled up last minute. I know I should have just left but it was my first time in LA and there is no point wasting my trip hiding in my hotel.

Groaning at my phone I let the valet take my car into the back. A huge ballroom at a fancy hotel had been rented out for the occasion, and I was clearly out of place here. Already I see people in their own groups and greeting old acquaintances, and here I am just folding into the background.  I recognise a lot of the faces, but all of these people for so long have seen untouchable and larger than life. They always only existed on my screen. No matter how much I was told otherwise from Michele it never really sunk in that these people were people. This left me in a worse ordeal, now I will be star struck awkward, while at the same time managing to use my special blend of normal social awkwardness in tandem. This will be great.

I enter the lobby of the hotel and see the stream of people heading off to the ball room. Outside the large wooden doors to the area I hand over my ticket to the guard. I guess the tickets were to stop crashers or unwanted psycho fans. Once I go through those doors I see this huge extra lobby area before the main ball room. It’s set up with photo booths, food stalls and a bar. There is also a seating area where no one was, I’m guessing that is for the drunk people later on. Even though this is fantastic, I make an expert (read poor) decision of realising that I am too sober for this type of thing. I head to the bar and get the strongest shot they have. It feels like hell itself opened up in my throat as I take it, but anything is better than being sober at a party where you know no one so I have about 3 or 4 more. I also get a beer to carry around with me before I enter the main area, I like having something in my hand, it makes it feel like I have something to do.

Though I could hear the music already, it really got loud once I entered the actual ballroom itself. It was some crazy dance music that is catchy, I would probably forget and never want to listen to again. There are a few tables in the corner but they are all ready filled with people chatting away, catching up or just getting drunk together. So I spend the next half an hour awkwardly circling around trying to find a less conspicuous place to just stay and hope the night goes quickly. About five minutes after my intensive wandering I notice a clear space of wall that I would lean against. I made a swoop for the spot and I settle my back against the hard wall. It’s not that comfortable, but at least some of the weight is off my feet.

After a while of me staring at people I see this one guy in particular looking at me. He is on his own too and is probably just trying to find his own plain sight hiding spot. But he starts to walk to me, I try not to look in case he is moving towards someone else. “Hi there” I hear. I look up and I see him standing before me. I give him a faint hello and he settles next to me. “I know of everyone here, but I don’t think I’ve seen you before” He says with a nice smile. “Oh, me? I’m a friend of Mich- Uh pyro’s. She couldn’t make it, didn’t tell me until I was here already” I say back, barely matching his own kindness. “Oh, that’s a bummer” he says. “It’s probably no fun not knowing many people here, well allow me to be your first new friend. I’m Ken” he finishes in his chipper southern voice. “Chris” I reply still being as awkward as humanly possible. “So how do you know pyro?” clearly he is trying to make this less awkward somehow. “We’ve known each other for years, since middle school. Well before her videos begun so this is all new to me” I say trying to at least show I’m friendlier than my awkwardness allows. “I see. Pyro is a nice girl. So you and her just friends?” he asks to pursue the conversation. “Michele and me? Ahahaha no that could never be a thing! Why? Are you interested in her?” Ken looked a bit baffled but then let out a defensive “No, no! I was just making conversation.” “Oh” I replied “well no, me and her never. No one else either at the moment for that matter. What about you Mr. Ken?” “Me? Nah flying solo too.” Ken had a hint of sadness as he spoke. “Well I’m sure a lovely lady will come and get you soon.” I tried to be reassuring “Thanks Chris”

The conversation took a steady pace after that, I found out about his channel and what he did on youtube. I told him about my boring life as a student still. “This is my last year! I promise! I’m not the only one who has jerked around not knowing what to major in for years” Ken just laughed. “Maybe you just need a change of pace?”  “I don’t know. Nothing feels like it fits anymore.” “Don’t be down, you’ll get there.” His eyes look to me and I can see he means what he says. “Thanks man.”

We continue talking, Ken rants about horror games. An area I have no knowledge of, but I rant about the state of JRPGs and western RPGs and how they have become too focused on easy action and not on planning and skills. Over the course of the long conversation we ingest a few too many more drinks and me taking those shots and mixing with a bunch more was a very poor decision.  I am slurring my words and I see that it’s pretty late “I should probably go” is what I think I said but it probably sounded more like “I shhhld prbbblyb guh” because swiftly after that I get a reply from Ken “man, even I can tell you are way too drunk. And that’s coming from someone who is also pretty drunk. Look I got a room here for the party. You’re welcome to crash there, if you don’t mind the couch or sharing a double bed with an almost stranger.” He said, I could tell he really didn’t want me driving drunk. What can I say to that apart from yes? He is being a real nice guy. “Okay sure” I said and Ken just smiled. “We can go when you’re ready too.” “I just gotta go to the bathroom. Meet me by the elevators then?” Ken nodded and said “well as long as you promise not to fall over on the way” I giggled and we walked off together until my pit stop.

This party really hadn’t been so bad, I made a new friend. For being a youtuber Ken seemed to be on his own for most of the party. I wonder why that is? He is certainly a nice and dare I say good looking guy. Maybe I’ll ask him…. Or maybe that’s a bit too personal. Oh well, I will see how the alcohol treats me in the mean time.

Walking over to the elevators I see Ken waiting. He looks perfectly serene just waiting for me there. When he sees me coming he puts on a welcoming smile. We exchange a hello as we board the elevator and head up to the 12th floor. It’s almost the top but not quite. Either way if the room has a balcony or any windows at all the view over the dark LA skyline will be marvellous. The ride up is quick and we exchange a cheap joke or two.  It’s not long until we make it to the room and there it is, a massive balcony. “Wow!” I exclaim “Nice isn’t it?” “It’s gorgeous, why didn’t you tell me this before? I’m not even sleepy now!” I walk straight from the doorway to the sliding door.

Out on the balcony is cold but I just wanted to see the city. I have always loved viewing cities at night from above. It’s like everyone is asleep but they’re not.  I just gaze out and look out at the calm night sky and let out a deep breath. Ken walks and stands next to me, also leaning on the railing. “It’s pretty isn’t it?” I say “Sure is, always something calming about the night sky.” “Yea.” I say barely registering Ken’s still there.

I snap out of it, I didn’t want to be rude. I remember what I thought of before in the bathroom and figure I might as well ask. “Hey ken?” “Hm” he softly replies. “I know you’re friends with lots of other youtubers, so how come you were on your own tonight?” Ken pauses as I finish and I turn back to him, I see he’s looking down at the ground. “I’m sorry, maybe I shouldn’t have asked.” “No, it’s okay. I just, well you see. I mainly am friends with Feli- pewdie and he was busy with the whole party and seeing everyone, I would have been in the way if I stuck around with him. I know other youtubers, but a lot of the lets players I am good friends with weren’t here tonight. Cry doesn’t risk the potential photos and I don’t think he wanted to travel all the way from Florida. Many of the other ones are in other countries. There are a few more, but I met them through Felix and they all have their own groups here, I would have just been an extra.” He finishes and he’s looking down at a beer he still has from the party. “I get what you mean. I felt the same way when I first moved to college. I only knew Michele there and it was awkward because she knew so many people and I really was only confident in talking to her. I just felt like that one guy that’s there but no one knows why. But still, I’m sure they like you more than you think. We just met tonight and I can tell you are a great friend.” “Yea? You think? It still is a little strange. I’m a pretty sociable guy, but I like to know the people well before.” “Well you are sociable with me and you didn’t know me, so it’s much easier for them. You also have the youtube stuff to talk about.” I say and I let a shiver out, I didn’t realise how cold it had become. I still was wearing too little and had no form of warm gear to just put on. “You cold?” I hear from Ken “Yea, I guess I didn’t dress warm enough” “here” he takes off his jacket and wraps it around me, it’s a heavy leather jacket and it’s lined with a warm wool like material. “But now you’re going to be cold.” “Its fine I will just go back in and get another one, ahaha. I packed more than one. I’m staying in LA for a few days. “He says and then leaves to go back into the room.

When he comes back I find myself staring back at the sky again. “So you never did tell me what majors you have tried out, or is that too personal?” “With what I asked you I don’t think it’s too personal. I have tried a few things, English, Linguistics, Biology, philosophy, ancient history and math.” “That is a few” he laughs “so what one of those you currently doing?” “None” I add “It’s German right now” “Really? Huh. But all those changes... that must be costly for college.” “Well I guess it is. My parents are paying for it. I guess you could say they have some money spare.” “That must be some sum of money” He says. “Yea but I didn’t come all the way to LA to talk about them, change topic?” “Sure” he says in a soft voice. “Say what’s the German word for star then?” “Sterne.” “That’s not as pretty as I thought it would be, maybe you should learn French instead?” I just laugh and say “maybe, you never know. I might run out of things and start learning Navajo” we both laugh for a bit and go back to talking about more trivial matters.

It gets too late before long and Ken suggests we head back in for the night. There is only one bed, it’s a double but I’m not sure how much Ken wants a near stranger sleeping right next to him. Other than the bed there is just a single chair or the floor. Before I have the time to ask Ken is already on the bed and says “You can sleep on the bed too if you want. It’s not nice sleeping on the floor after drinking, it will make the possible hangover worse. Trust me, I know.” I just let out a puff of air that you might pass off as a laugh and go sit on the other side to Ken. “I can only fall asleep in my underwear” Ken says “I hope that’s not a big deal.” “Its fine, I will probably just be in my underwear and my shirt anyway.” Ken nods and takes of his pants. He’s wearing black boxer briefs with a white trim. I shouldn’t be looking, but like I said, he’s an attractive man. He takes off his shirt next and I can see he works out now for sure. He has big arms and a built chest. While he doesn’t have a six pack or anything he certainly goes to the gym and I can tell he is probably much stronger than someone who has a six pack. He has a great amount of hair too. A snail trail that is more like a forest, that breaks a little and then goes back again to his chest. On top of his gorgeous face this might be more than I can handle. I take off my pants and we both slip into the bed.

We lie down for a bit in awkward silence until I say “So come here often?” to which Ken starts laughing and says “Surprisingly yes! Ahahaha, man I’m glad I met you at the party. I would have just been up here alone otherwise.” “You might not be, maybe you met a nice girl or something?” Ken just faintly shrugs and says “I’m still too drunk. Problem when I’m drunk and sleepy is that I get a bit horny.” “Ahaha man I know what you mean.” I try to shrug it off. I don’t really want to get turned on in front of someone new. It would be embarrassing. I feel Ken move closer to me and he says “Um, this is probably the alcohol speaking, but do you want to make out?” I only have time to let out an um before Ken starts kissing me.

He slowly starts to use his lips to kiss me deep without being too invasive. Each kiss is harder than the last and I can feel his stubble scratching on my face. I push back to match his force and then he starts to open his mouth and move his tongue out. I do the same until our tongues are intertwined and we are pushing equally into each other’s faces. I can feel myself fully gone now and there is no point in hiding how turned on I am. I roll on top of Ken and I feel that he is fully hard too. While still kissing him I start grinding on him through our underwear. Ken lets out a soft moan. I move my kisses down his neck until I get to his chest. I lick my index fingers a little and rub them over the tips of his nipples. He lets out a loud moan and his pelvis juts upward. I continue to kiss down his body while leaving my hands to pleasure his nipples. I can see his full erection through the underwear and it’s even wet at the tip with pre cum. “how far do you want to go?” I ask. “As far as you like” “Got condoms?” “Yea, full pack.” “Then we are going all the way.”

I take my hands away from his chest and rip down his underwear. His dick is so hard, it’s practically throbbing. I start licking his head and he lets out a soft moan. I then stick the whole thing in my mouth, I work it slowly for a moment going up and down focusing my tongue on the tip. Ken is letting out all sorts of moans now, with the occasional “fuck” being uttered. I use my hand to add to the movement on his shaft. I start going up and down faster and faster and taking short breaks to jerk him off faster. “Shit stop!” he says “Don’t make me finish so soon” I stop jerking “Turn over” I say forcefully. He does as I say. I spread his ass apart and kiss around the cheeks, Ken gets into it and sticks his butt up. I start to rim him, licking softly around his hole. He lets out another long moan. I lick harder sticking my tongue further into his ass. I move it fast, in and out, up and down and now Ken is letting out loud long moans. I grip one and on his dick and start jerking as I rim him. With every moan I feel his dick get slightly harder and so I rim him harder and harder. I move my face away from his ass and then I get my fingers in there. I start small with one, but Ken is really into it and it’s not long before I have three inside him. I move them in and out, grazing against his prostate. “Jesus” Ken says in between loud moans. “Lube and condoms?” I ask. “Bag by the bed” I go and fish them out then I am back on top of Kens legs fingering him. I apply some lube to my fingers and get a fourth one in. “Fuck more” Ken cries and I oblige. I open up a condom and slip in on my hard dick. I add lube to myself and Ken. I go slow and slip in him. “SHIT” he yells and he pushed back onto me harder. I start to fuck him hard. He is holding the headboard and is moaning the loudest I’ve heard. He’s matching my beats and hitting back on me as I go in. I get deep in him and I can feel my dick hitting the right spot. Now he’s basically screaming with pleasure and I am happy to give him more. I pound on him harder and harder. “Turn over” I demand. Ken does and he holds his legs up in the air. I gently reinsert myself and go back to pounding him. I start to jerk him from this position and he moves his pelvis up and down with me. I build back up to how hard I was before and then go even faster. I keep going until I hear “Fuck I’m gonna” Ken then lets out a huge explosion of cum going over his head and all over his furry chest. I follow and remove my dick then the condom. It feels amazing as I shoot all over Ken, getting it all over his face and body. “Fuck, I’ve never bottomed before” Ken says clearly exhausted. “You’ll have to show me your toping skills next” I say as I flop on the bed next to him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The continuation. I hope this is better. The tone sorta changes so I might edit chapter one later to make it work

My eyes are droopy and I feel a stinging as I open them up. It takes me a second to realise where I am and what just had happened last night. I fucked a youtuber. Not just in the general sense of having sex, but I literally fucked one and it was hot. I look next to me and see that Ken is no longer there, everything else hasn’t moved from last night though. I check my phone and see a message from Michele. It’s too early for that, I’ll check it later. Wait was is the time? Oh god, it’s only 9. To to to early.

I hear a door open, but it’s not the front one. “Mornin” I hear from around the corner. I look up and see Ken, still naked he hasn’t even bothered to put on his underwear. “Well hi there” I say looking into his eyes. “I just grabbed a shower, I was all sweaty from that fun we had” His voice broke into a laugh as he said it. “Aha well maybe I will have to get one too.” “I was the one that was fucked, so I needed to get all that lube out of…. Places. But you just fucked me and were wearing a condom. So I think you need to be dirtied up again before you get a shower.” Ken looked at me with a cheeky grin. “Oh really?” I say and I already feel my dick growing. Ken leans forward and starts kissing me.

Ken jumps on top of me and keeps kissing me hard. He pins my hands down with his and starts to move his kisses down my neck. Then suddenly there’s a loud knock “Ken you up!? Hurry, don’t leave me waiting!” With that Ken bent forward and sighed deeply. “Just a minute, I haven’t showered yet, meet you in the lobby in 5?” “Sure just don’t be late!” the voice said, then there was the sound of footsteps trailing off. “Sorry about that, I forgot I was getting breakfast with Felix and a few other people.” I couldn’t tell if he was more upset about the cock block or for my sake. “That’s okay, I’ll get out of your hair then.” “No, that’s uh, would you like to join us?” I was surprised at the proposal, but I guess I was fine with it “Sure, I guess I should get to know more of Michele’s youtube friends.” I don’t know how enthusiastic I sounded but Ken puts on a HUGE charming smile and says “Great, you better get ready though. I don’t want to keep them.” “You have to get dressed as well” I let out a slight snicker and Ken is still standing over me wearing nothing. “Dang nabbit.” Ken blushes a little and we move to get ready.

I get out of the shower and I see Ken waiting for me browsing on his phone. That reminds me I need to check my message from Michele. ‘I’m so sorry about last night Chris, I’m going to breakfast with the guys today. You should join us.’ I just say “shit.” “What’s wrong?” Ken looks up to me from his screen. “I didn’t know Michele was going to breakfast. I just, I can’t complain about how awful the party was even though it wasn’t now.” “Is it an issue that she’s coming? It’s just going to be me, you, Felix, TJ and Mark. Marzia might be coming but I think she might have some other friends in town.” I had to think for a minute, the real reason that I was scared about her coming was that I didn’t want her to know. Michele and I had a great friendship and she can get things out of me faster than anything. I honestly might just text her right now ‘I fucked Ken last night’ it would probably be less embarrassing. “Nah it’s fine. It will be good to see her, a big part of my reason coming up was to see her.” “Good!” Ken smiled and it made me feel so happy. That guys smile was a thing of wonders.

I walked out the door with Ken and I asked “So is Michelle meeting us at the lobby or the café?” I tried to sound as least anxious as possible. “No, the café is closer to her house than this building and knowing her she’ll be late so probably be meeting us there.” I was surprised that Ken new Michelle as well as he did, maybe they were better friends than I thought. I guess I never realised since she has never done a collab video with him before. Though I guess the friend circles run different than they appear online.

We get down to the lobby and I see pewdiepie there alone and checking his phone. “Felix” Ken lets out and he looks up at us. He lets out a big smile and greets Ken back. “So Ken, who’s this?” He’s still smiling so I assume I am of no burden. “This is Chris, he was at the party. A friend of Michelle’s, LA Michelle not UK Michelle. We both invited him for breakfast.” I shake his hand and he just says “That’s cool man, were you at the party even though she wasn’t there?” “Yea, she didn’t let me know about that until I was already there, she’s like that though, always has been.” I laugh as I say it because Michelle is Michelle and holding a grudge about this would be like condemning a hedgehog because it will prick you if you touch it. “We’ll I hope you still had fun. Oh Ken, TJ and mark cancelled, so it looks like it’s just going to be the four of us!” Ken seems to be happier at that statement, I guess as much as he likes to be friendly, he is really only friends with Felix. “By the way” I interject, “Who is UK Michelle?” “OH that’s Mangaminx, but she isn’t here on account on living in the UK” Ken says. I just nod and we walk to the exit. I guess I know of fewer youtubers than I thought, though I’m guessing if Ken knows her then she is probably a let’s player as well, which is good I like Michelle’s videos because she isn’t a guy mostly and the more female let’s players the better in my book.

At the front of the hotel pewdie get’s his car and Ken gives me a look then whispers “Felix can’t drive, it is super scary.” I try my best to laugh of the statement as it has to be a joke. We get into the car and it is immediately obvious that it wasn’t. We screech out the parking lot and swerve into the right lane. I do my best to save face. “So where is this place?” pewdie asks “Uh I think it’s just a few blocks away. I have the address on my phone, hold up.” Ken then starts to give him directions and I sit in the back clinging onto the seat and door trying not to appear too scared. I am going back with Michelle, I decide right then and there.

We arrive and she isn’t here yet, typical. Ken sends her a text and replies with the Michelle stock standard of “Just about to leave, be there in five” which for her could either mean “Shit I haven’t showered yet” to actually what it says. I hope for the latter. I send her a message myself saying that I am going and that I’m there too, as I realised I never let her know. She replies as well saying that she’s excited to finally see me. I guess her quick reply means she wasn’t still getting ready.

The three of us take a seat and look at the lunch menu of the black board behind the counter. Everything seems good, but I only woke up less than an hour ago and I am in no way ready for food yet, so I will probably just decide when Michelle gets here. Ken and Felix are making conversation, mostly about the party and they are exchanging group photo’s that must have been taken before the actual party itself. “Photo’s from the roaming photographers will be out by the end of the week” Felix says and Ken nods in affirmation. “There were photographers?” I asked as I didn’t ever catch sight of one. “Yea, they were just asked to take candid shots of the party. I thought it would be a nice idea to see what parts I might have missed.” Felix has his usual smile on his face. I guess this is how he must be normally. “Oh great” I let out “I am not photogenic at all. I hope none were of me.” I slump my head down and Ken pats my back and says “Don’t worry, they were probably at the dance floor mainly, so I don’t think they had the chance” He laughs slightly and so do I. “I’m going through the pictures with the photographer tonight, so I’ll be sure to remove any unflattering ones” Felix adds with a hint of cheekiness. “You better or I’ll get Michelle on you. You know how she is.” We all start laughing because we all do know. “Okay, okay I promise!” he tries to act as scared as he can behind his veil of amusement.

A little while on Michelle arrives. Her long brown hair with red streaks brushes through the doorway and I see immediately that she is thinner, her life has been hectic lately I guess he stress has got to her like it always did back in college. We all stand up to greet her, “Mellie Ellie!” I say before I realise what I’ve done. She hates it when other people call her by that name. It sort of became our inside thing during highschool and she hates it when other people know about it. “Chris, really? Already?” she says in her usual disappointed in me voice. Felix and Ken just start to laugh and she sighs and takes a seat between me and Felix. “Yes. Okay now everyone forget the name. Only this one is allowed to use it on account of our history” she says while pointing at me. “Let’s just get some food” and she starts to brows the board. After a while we have all decided on what to get, Michelle being Michelle got berry pancakes and the blackest coffee that could possibly exist in human kind. Ken got a breakfast platter or something like that, it had a bagel, eggs, bacon and a side of two pancakes with syrup. Felix got some sort of omelette with some fancy cheese I have never heard of. I just stuck with the free toast they give every table at breakfast and some jasmine tea with a little bit of honey. I was never good at eating in the morning, and I drank a little too much last night so my stomach felt like if anything more was going to enter it would just come right back up. “How much did you drink Chris?” I hear Michelle say with a mouthful of berries. “Oh you know, the usual amount to get me like this” I say slightly amused. “Oh I know, be sure to eat a big lunch, you can’t be skipping meals on me like in college.” “Yes Mrs Mellie!” I say and I salute, she just shakes her head slowly and takes a sip of the demon juice she called coffee.

“So Felix. How was the party?” Michelle asks. “It was pretty great. I had a great time, Marzia did too. At one point Jake from makers got up on a table and started to dance and sing too ‘my humps’, he is definitely going to regret that.” They both start to laugh. Obviously this was someone I wouldn’t even have heard of as he doesn’t sound like a youtuber.  They talk for a bit about various other events I had no idea took place at the party. I guess I was pretty tucked away in the corner for most of the night, even before Ken found me. “So Ken, what about you?” She finally gets around to asking. “Yea Ken, we hardly saw you at all at the party.” Felix adds. “Oh you know I was around. I met this guy here as well.” Ken says, obviously he wants Felix to know about as much as I want Michelle to. After he says that though, Michelle gives me a look and she stares at me for longer than usual and her eyes dart from mine to Ken and she laughs under her breath and shakes her head. Oh great, she’s found out. She gets out her phone and starts to text, a few moments later my phone buzzes. Sure enough it’s a text from her. ‘Really Chris?’ is all it says. I text back with ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about’. Finally she sends me ‘Sure you don’t. Tell me later’ and I give her a nod over the table. Ken and Felix are chatting away mostly about people I don’t know and what they did last night. Ken letting out the occasional “really?” or “Oh my gosh” and Michelle just laughing as if it was exactly what she had expected them to do.

After a while everyone’s plates where empty and we decide to leave. Felix has to go pick up Marzia and take Ken back to the hotel.  On our way out Ken stops me and asks for my number, we swap digits and Michelle does her best to look like she knows nothing like Felix does. “It was good to meet you” Ken says as we stand out waiting for our respective drivers to pull up in their cars. “It really was, the party turned out to be pretty great after all” I say with a smile. “So text me if you want to hang out again” I add just as Felix pulls in. “Will do!” he says as he walks to the car. We wave and just then Michelle pulls up in her old beaten up red pickup, a car which never has and never will suit her. “I see Rachel is still around.” It was the name we had given the car when she bought it on her sixteenth birthday. “Well she is a part of the family you know. How could I ever get rid of her?” I agree as I hop into the front seat. It’s nice to see that Michelle still remembered all those years when it was just the two of us against the world, or at least that’s what it seemed like. “I am dying to see this fancy new apartment of yours!” “Well it’s not much. It’s no pool house or anything. But it has parking space and that’s more than you can hope for around here. It’s not like I can risk Rachel being kidnapped on me!”  We both smile at that statement. It’s good to see things haven’t changed with her as much as I had feared. It doesn’t take long before we arrive at the complex. It is a nice building, it looks fairly new as well. We pull into the underground parking and hop out of the car.

We walk to the elevator “I’m on the 4th floor” Michelle says and she lets me press the button. She knows me too well, I always press the buttons. It’s not long before we get to her apartment 4F to be exact. When we get in I can see that it’s a simple apartment, to the left of the entrance is a small kitchen area, to that the lounge is attached, to the right there is a small hall that has 3 doors, the one at the end is clearly storage of some kind and the others are to the bedroom and bathroom. The whole room is bright and the walls are a striking hue of white.  She only moved in a few months ago so I don’t expect to see how put together it all is, no signs of boxes and it all seems like she has lived here for so much longer than she has. “This is a nice place Mellie” I say with sincerity, because it is a great place. “Thanks, you know I wanted the first place that was solely mine to be nice. I wanted it to be special.” I can tell she is smiling as she says it. “But you’re right, it is no pool house.” We both burst into laughter and she whacks me in the head, “You are such a jerk sometimes Chris” “but you keep me around so I can’t be all bad!” She agrees and she tells me to go sit down.

“I got tea especially for you, still like English breakfast?” Michelle says while flipping the switch on her kettle. “Yes and remember a lot of milk, I like to drink it right away”. “Chris it’s been six months not six years, I know how you like your tea.” She says as she gets out a mug and puts a tea bag inside. “Well you never know, you could forget all about me now that you’re a big internet celebrity!” “Please once I’m really a celebrity I will let you know so you can expect to be forgotten.” Michelle really hasn’t changed at all. The video’s started out as nothing big back in our home town, but she kept them going during college and then she just started to take off one day. She went from ten thousand to forty thousand subscribers in a week during our last year of college. By the end of that year she was at a quarter million. Now she has around nine hundred thousand and growing. She finally was able to move out of her flat a few months ago and be able to get her own place without any roommates.

She sets the tea down in front of me and then sits opposite me and says “Okay, so tell me what happened with you and Ken.” “Straight to the point as usual I see.” I try to be snide but she can see right through it and just gives me a blank stare. “Well we met at the party and he stayed with me while I got drunk in a corner, as I usually do. He invited me to his room because he didn’t want me driving drunk and then that led to things. I cannot in good confidence reveal the rest” Michelle is looking a little surprised but then starts to speak “Well, that Ken surprised more than just you with that. I didn’t know he liked guys like that. In any case he just had a pretty bad breakup so could you try to tread lightly for a change?” She seems concerned about it all. “I will, I don’t intend to do anything rash, we live in different parts of the country normally. It’s not like I am interested in a long term anything. Besides, I think he just needed some fun if his breakup was that bad.” I say under this new realisation that just hit me. Me and Ken couldn’t be more that what had happened, I don’t do long distance and I suspect that he wouldn’t be interested in that either. “I don’t want either of you hurt here Chris. I like you both too much to say that it’s a good idea to pursue him.” I can tell she is right, after all she knows both of us better than we know each other. “I know Mellie, you always do look out for me.” “Someone has too, who knows how many times you would have died without me!” It would have been funnier if it wasn’t so true, so I just breathe out and smile a bit.


	3. Chapter 3

“Crap. Mellie, do you mind taking me to the hotel again. I need to get my car.” I honestly had forgotten all about it because of everything. “Oh shit, yea of course Chris. Come on, we better go now then.” We get back down to the parking lot and make our way over to the location of last night’s party. It doesn’t take long before we arrive, I get out of the car and I go retrieve from the building. As I leave the lobby I see Ken run towards me “Chris hey!” he says and he stops just in front of me. “Hey Ken, I just came by because I left my car here.” “Oh right you did. Hey so are you free tomorrow? I was going to text you but since you’re already here I might as well ask.” Ken smiles as he asks me, I know what Michelle said but what’s the harm in just seeing him again? “Sure” I say “I really need to get my car so just text me the details. I’ll most likely be free whenever.” I say as I rush to get my car, “Okay will do!” I hear Ken say in the background. I turn to wave and he waves back.

Michelle had some meeting with her partner company so I have the rest of the day to myself. I don’t really have much to do so I just go back to my hotel and go on the complimentary wifi with my laptop.  I decide to check up on some of those people I hadn’t heard of from the party. The videos range from standard vlogs, to comedy sketches and of course, gaming channels. I see some of Ken’s stuff and it’s pretty much the run of the mill gaming channel. I like some of the games he’s played and he’s funny too, so at least he’s not a boring one. On pewdiepie’s channel there is a vlog about the party up already and he seems to have had a lot of fun with it so that’s good. I don’t really have much to do so I just order some room service for dinner. I hear my phone buzz and see a text from Ken, it says that he wants to get lunch tomorrow at some place I’ve never heard of. Of course I agree, I quickly search up the location and see it’s close to hotel from last night, I stay up for a while before I just decide to stop the youtube stalking and go to sleep.

It’s around ten when I wake up and I have to meet him at twelve so at least I didn’t sleep in like normal. It doesn’t take me too long to be fully awake and I check my phone. I have a message from Michelle ‘Hey sorry about the meeting you should come over tonight. Game night with some friends, won’t be the same if you don’t come too! 5pm bring money for pizza’. ‘Of course, as long as you expect to lose like always!’ I send in reply. ‘That was once, it was candy land and you cheated’ Dammit she knew that I cheated, how? I leave the messages at that, I don’t think she would expect me to reply after being called out like that.

Time goes by pretty fast and I see that it’s about time that I leave so I gather my things and get my keys and head out the door. I put the directions on my phone so I wouldn’t get lost but I still manage to do just that and it takes me a good few minutes to find my way back on track. When I arrive I see that Ken is waiting for me outside and he waves as I go find a place to park. “Sorry I’m late, I still have no idea how LA works.” I say as soon as I make it up to him. “No sweat, I totally understand first time I visited up here I got horribly lost more than once.” It was good someone else felt my pain. We go walk inside and I see that it’s a fairly nice café, it’s similar to the one we went to the other day but maybe not as expensive looking. Regardless of the differences we both sit down and we start to talk again. “So I never asked how did you and Michelle meet all those years ago Chris?” Ken asks with the brightest of intentions. The story admittedly is pretty mundane, but if this leads into our life story it might get a little too personal for what Michelle would want me to share. “Uh well, it was lunch period and I see this girl sitting down alone with a game boy colour. They were a little old by that time, but I never had one and I could see in the back she was playing a pokemon game. A game which I hadn’t played at that time but all my friends from back in elementary said was the best thing ever. So I walk over to her and we start to talk about games and stuff. After a few minutes a teacher comes a long, I guess they just noticed the game boy. One of them says ‘Hey you can’t have that at school! You can come and get it at the end of the day’ and rips it off her. She gets really upset and begs to get it back. I didn’t know why it mattered so much until later, but I saw how upset she was so I say ‘Hey my mother, Sarah Fuller, wouldn’t be pleased to hear a teacher took something of her sons that he loaned to a friend’ with that she got scared and returned it to me. After that Michelle was forever grateful and we hung out more and it became what you see today.” Ken looks pretty calm still, I guess it really wasn’t that great of a story. “That was nice of you” he added. “I really didn’t do much. I just made an idle threat, those got me through most of middle school.” We both laughed at that. “Who is Sarah Fuller? You’re mom?” Ken adds. “Yea, that would be her. She was the highest donor to the school, so all the teachers let me do what I want because they didn’t want to be the ones that got her kid so upset she stopped the money coming in.” I said it with a heavy sigh, I could see that he knew I didn’t really want to talk about it.

“So uh, how did you keep in touch with Michelle for so many years? I have had good friendships that parted well before this one seems to have” Ken seems to be trying to change the subject, though he doesn’t realise this one is almost as bad. “Well, it’s hard to escape someone when they live with you I guess.” I try to be as vague as I can be but I know that I want to tell someone this, I really haven’t ever before as the only person to talk to was Michelle. “Oh she never said that to me before.” Ken seems a little disappointed at me saying that “Oh she doesn’t like to talk about that stuff even with me. Don’t feel bad, I doubt she’s told anyone. I only know because I was there with her.” It seems to brighten him up a little but I can see he is a bit confused. “I can go into the details if you want. She won’t appreciate it, but if you don’t tell her I won’t.” I can see that Ken wants to know but he looks puzzled, but he finally says “Okay sure. But you can stop anytime you like.” It’s good he’s trying to be respectful of both our privacies but I think it will just feel good to finally have those years talked about. I know it’s more her business than mine, but it was both our lives and I will say what I want about them.

“So” I begin. “Well me and Michelle had been friends for probably two years at this point. I noticed one day that she had some bruises on her arm, I asked her about it but she didn’t want to talk about it. It took a while before she told me that her dad was the reason. It had been hard for them when her mother died. She was about seven when it happened. After that her dad did all he could to provide but that year he lost his job. Took up drinking after that and he was a mean drunk.  This went on for about a year, until we made the plan to get her out of there. I knew she couldn’t stay with him like that. She already had to get her own job to provide for him! So we filled out the paper work to get her emancipated from her father. It took a while but we finally got it to work. She had to prove that he wasn’t fit and that she was, we didn’t want to get her put in foster care. She had a job and with the abuse we won and she was free from him. At first she didn’t want to, but I convinced her to stay in my pool house. My mother never came home, she took a job which had her travelling pretty much every week once I was old enough to be left home unattended legally. So we snuck Michelle into our pool house and she stayed there until we went away to college, four years later.” Ken was engrossed and slightly upset looking. “That’s quite the story you have there. Did your mother really never know?” I knew he would ask this. “Well no. She found out one day and started to yell at me, it took me a while to tell her what happened. She eventually understood and just allowed it. After all she wasn’t home enough for it to bother her ever past her monthly day trip back.”

I could see the look in Ken’s eyes, it seemed sad. I admit it isn’t the cheeriest of stories but there was something else in his eye, I read that he was sad he had only just heard about it. What was his relationship with Michelle? Ken seemed as familiar with her as any of her closest friends apart from myself were. She had never talked about him, I have to ask her about this tonight. “So Ken, that was a bit about me. I guess it’s fair you start to spurt out the life stories” I saw his eyes change as if to hide the original sadness, they filled with life again and he looked right at me. “Uh sure, I’m not sure I’m that interesting. As you know I live in Mississippi, you know my job. I live with my friend Jacob in an apartment. That’s it really.” He ended it with a laugh and a small smile. “What about what you would be doing if youtube didn’t become a thing?” I ask because it’s always interesting when you hear these stories, this is very much the golden age of youtube and most of these people are in this job by accident or hopefulness that paid off. “Well, I was studying business but I just got so sick of that. I decided to take a year off before my final year and really I started doing youtube then. It took a while but before long I had met some great friends in Felix and Cry and a bunch of others soon followed, I decided that if pursuing this was going to let me stay around such great people that I would try my hardest to make this my job. So that’s what I did, I did a bunch of side jobs while my channel was getting started and I feel like it really paid off.” Ken seemed so proud of himself as he said that, I was proud too. It seemed like such a great reason to be doing something, his new friends had inspired him and it’s what kept him at it. “That’s a lovely story, Ken.” I look right into his eyes and he looks up at mine “you think so? I just did what felt right at the time and it led me here. I love where I’m at and all the friends I’ve made through this job. That’s why I said what I did on the balcony. I had a change of pace and that led me here, maybe you just need a break from your studies and time to yourself in order to figure it out?” I knew what he was saying had a lot of sentiment in it, but I’m unsure. “I know what you mean but I feel stuck where I am, having nothing to do most days of the year… well the thought of it makes me feel more stuck, you know?” I look down at my drink that Ken had got part way through his talk. “I know. I’m sure it’ll all be clear in time.” As he said that he reached out and gripped my hand and we smiled at each other.

The rest of the lunch was great and thankfully conversation took a less serious direction. We made jokes and continued our talk on video games. Ken tried to level with me on the youtube discussions, but I just smiled and nodded for most of those as I had no idea what he was saying. I glance down at my phone and see it’s already three! When did that even happen? “Ken damn, look I gotta go!” I say as I move to stand up. Ken stands up too, “Oh yea, how come?” I can tell he doesn’t want me to go by the sound of his voice but he does a good job of trying to hide that fact. “I promised Michelle I would go to hers tonight. She’s having some sort of game night. I’ve been told 5 and since it’s already 3 so I really gotta jet.” Ken looks again, with the same sad expression as before. He’s sad I’m going, but there’s something deeper. Something that says he is upset about not knowing of the game night with Michelle. “Sure, I’ll let you go then.” He hid that deeper sadness with a bright, stubble riddled smile. He gave me a hug, “I had a great time Chris” Ken says as we end our embrace. “Me too” I say, I want to kiss him but I know that as much fun as this has been, it’s like me and Michelle had agreed on. This can’t be more than an LA thing. So we just go our separate ways not going any further than the hug.

I arrive back at my hotel with just enough time to get all my things in order. I’m not sure exactly what this game night will hold but I’m hoping something fun, maybe a tekan tournament. One thing is for sure though, I have to ask her about Ken and what he really has to do with her. It doesn’t take long before I’m out the door, I arrive just after five. Michelle knows I like to be on time so I suspect people to already be there because she gives me the time she thinks people will get there, rather than the time she actually sets the start for.

“Hi Mellie.” I say as someone who is most certainly not Michelle opens the door. I look and I see this short man, possibly around my age with a thick scruffy beard almost like moss coating his face. He has thick rimmed glasses and is wearing a standard button up shirt and jeans. Before I realise, he is laughing and belts out “Who’s Mellie?” I slump my head because I’ve done it again. “Really Chris?” I hear from somewhere beyond the doorway. “Brian, stop laughing.” The man before me tries to hold it in but does a poor job, he waves his hands in a ‘come on in’ fashion and so I do just that. I see that it’s just Michelle and the other man here. “So where’s the party?” sarcasm drooling from my mouth. “Well Chris, we know it’s no party without you. In fact I remember this one time in senior year when you invited Carlos over-“ “Oh stop Mellie, isn’t it enough one of us is already embarrassed?” She must not complete that story. “Fine Chris, but could you refrain from the nicknames when I have people that I don’t yet have a reason to kill?” I could see her being serious behind the sass. “Fine, but when did you become my mother?” I belt at her. “When we were twelve.” She says in the most deadpan voice. “Oh right.” I add because it’s true.

“So are you going to introduce me to your friend Mel – Uh, Michelle?” I could see her eyes squint slightly at my almost slip up. “Sure, Brian this is Chris. Chris this is Brian. Brian is a friend from my studio, we met in the halls when I was there for various reasons.” Brian gives a salute, “Nice to meet you Chris, I have heard a few things from Michelle here. Please don’t glue my underwear to a pool cleaning net.” Him and Michelle burst into giggles. “You told him about Carlos already! That’s it, deals off Mellie! I will call you by the better name from now on!” I could see by how she was laughing that she had expected and accounted for this already. That Michelle is always a few steps ahead.

“You are unbelievable Mellie! Anyway who else is showing up to this tomb of embarrassment?” Michelle had to settle herself down, “Well I had invited Felix and a few from the party but he’s got a meeting tonight and other people had similar reasons. It’s a shame because we can’t really play many of the games with three people.” I can tell shes upset about it. “Hey, uh, maybe I could invite Ken? I mean I don’t think he’s doing anything tonight.” She looks taken aback by me mentioning it. “Um okay Chris. We do need another person, I hope he’s not too upset I didn’t invite him in the first place…” she trails off a bit as she finishes the sentence. “It’s okay Mellie, I’m sure he’ll be cool about it.” I send Ken the message and he replies with a yes. I send him the address and directions that I hope won’t get him lost.

A few moments after I tell her that he’s coming she pulls me aside. “Look Chris. There is something I have to tell you about me and Ken.” “Finally” I interrupt. “I could sense from the both of you, well mostly Ken, that something was up with you two. Now what is it?” She looks slightly shocked but I guess she comes to realise that the clues were there. “Well you know how I said he just go over a bad breakup? It was with me.” She sighed and I was taken back a bit, but it made sense with how they were about each other. “Mellie, why didn’t you tell me?! You and you’re secrets. God now I feel bad that I told him about our life before.” I could see her eyes widen. “Chris you did what? Oh great, oh god. Now I feel sick. No one was supposed to know about that here.” I could see a wave of anguish run over her eyes. “Mellie I’m sorry. I just haven’t ever told anyone, Ken was so nice and I felt like I was connecting with him. I wanted my life to no longer be our secret… If I had known…” “No Chris, it’s fine. I know Ken won’t tell anyone else and it’s as much your story as it is mine. I’m just taken by surprise. Anyway the point is Ken and I might be awkward around each other, it ended three months ago but I know Ken hasn’t dated or anything since.” I could see the mixture of terror and regret in her eyes and I knew that tonight could go in one of two ways. One, we could all get along great and have a blast, or two it could be an awkward mess with no one speaking to each other. “One last thing Chris, Brian and I are sort of seeing each other. Its early days but I don’t want to mess this up.” “Does he know about Ken?” I can tell she is going to say the answer I’m dreading. “No, he doesn’t”.


End file.
